Has To Be
by StarsandMaple
Summary: Naruto fic starting from when he returns to Konoha. NarutoxSakura with some TsunadexJaraiya.
1. Chapter 1

My second ever fic! Please don't hate me if it's really crap.

I don't read a lot of fan fiction, but I do read a lot of Shakespeare, and Jane Austen – y type stuff…. I tried to make it not sound too much like one of those sorts of novels, especially with the whole language thing.

**This is possibly a one off, depending on what sorta reaction I get from it XD.**

If I do end up writing a second chapter then I will take ANY criticism to heart… Just as long as it's constructive and not all: This sucks get a life otaku.

Ya please don't send stuff like that XD

* * *

There really wasn't much different about Konoha. Well… Apart from the big carving of Tsunade-baachan's face on the side of the rocky cliff. He smiled and thought to himself _"I'll be there one day. Just you wait and see."_ Though it may have surprised many to hear that he didn't add his usually "Believe it!" to the end of the thought. Maybe this was a sign that Naruto really had grown up.

"You ready?" said Jiraiya, the tall white haired sannin who was slightly on the big – and pervy – side.

Naruto closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Familiar scents absorbed him and he realized how long it had been, and how much he had missed his home.

Naruto jumped up onto a high roof and gazed over the village. The sannin grinned and let out a small chuckle as he watch Naruto stand there smiling like the idiot he was, or maybe use to be?

"Hey, wait a second!" Naruto called over to Jiraiya when he saw him walking away from where he was, a goofy smirk plastered on his face. Jiraiya was obviously pretty pleased with himself for some stupid reason, though Naruto didn't really care about that, neither did he even notice. He was home, for the first time in two and a half years he was finally back.

Naruto jumped down to join the sannin who was already a few meters ahead of him, but Naruto still caught up pretty quick. The sounds of the village excited him, and also made him feel a little bit anxious. He felt his stomach turn but in a manner that wasn't pain just a bit jittery and uncomfortable.

When they finally reached the big building in the center of the village, Naruto didn't even have to search his memory to remember this big structure with the symbol of fire plastered on the front so proudly. When he looked up he could barely contain his excitement.

"Tsunade-baachan!" he yelled up at the familiar face that was looking out over the village. The sound of her name surprised Tsunade as she knew of only one person who called her by that particular nickname. She looked around and finally saw a very happy looking Naruto standing on the ground in front of her. She smiled.

"Naruto!" she was glad to see that so far he had not changed as at that moment he jumped up onto the ledge where she was standing. Thought the next thing he did _did_ surprise her. He leapt on her and hugged her so tight she could barely breathe. Well, Naruto _was_ the number on ninja at surprising people.

When she finally shook him off Naruto was still smiling, she began to notice all the changes in his physical character. The most obvious to the eye was the dramatic change in height, and a new found maturity in his eyes.

Then Tsunade finally noticed Jiraiya who was stood there _also_ smiling like an idiot. Maybe Naruto had rubbed of his idiocy onto him, better that then the pervert of a ninja rubbing of on him!

"So you're back then." she said to Jiraiya, making it into a rhetorical question which of course Jiraiya answered anyway.

"Yea, I've got some writing to do and Naruto wanted to come back to the village, show off his new skills" at this he winked at Tsunade who rolled her eyes then turned to Naruto.

"I hope you've improved since you were here last." she said giving him a look that only Tsunade could pull off.

Naruto smiled again and replied "I'll show you later ya? Where is eve-"

"Tsunade-sama!" Naruto was cut short by a familiar voice he knew all to well.

"Tsunade-sama I was just looking through you report and it seems the… patient…" she trailed off as she stepped out onto the porch where everyone else was. Her face lit up at the sight of an old friend.

"Naruto!" she ran over to him and hugged him tightly. She pulled away and saw Naruto's face was bright red. She gave him a look but it didn't seem to effect him, Naruto was in a sort of trance.

"Naruto you idiot snap out of it!" the pink haired girl punched Naruto so hard it sent him flying across the room.

"Ouch, sorry Sakura, I was just happy to see you."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "_He hasn't changed a bit" _she thought.

Tsunade sat down and shook her head.

"You two go catch up, I need to discuss something with Jiraiya" this was of course a lie, all she wanted was for them to leave so she could have some peace and quite. Well… To a certain extent at least.

Naruto and Sakura soon left the Hokage's house and walked down the now darkened streets up to a shop Naruto knew only too well.

They both sat down in complete silence and ordered a bowl of ramen each.

By the time Sakura had finished her first bowl, Naruto was already on to thirds.

It was all getting too awkward so Sakura decided to break the silence.

"So how have you been?" like she could come up with anything better, this was the first time she'd seen him in… What had it been two and a half years? Not that she'd been counting.

Naruto smiled at his friend and pondered as he finished his third bowl.

"Good thanks, though if you're thinking training with Pervy-sage, I wouldn't recommend it." he said mouth full of ramen "He worked me to the bone! Training everyday for 12 hours straight…" he trailed off into thought then realized he'd been rambling.

Sakura grinned. _"Definitely the same old Naruto"_ she thought then giggled a little.

Naruto looked at her and blushed, Sakura could be so cute. He covered his face and looked down into his bowl.

When Naruto was finally satisfied he paid the bill and left with Sakura.

Of course Naruto was over-joyed by the fact that he and Sakura were on a sort of _date_. He was just thinking about it way too much until he realized it was complete and utter silence again. Why was being with her so awkward now?

Naruto looked to the floor then shifted his gaze to Sakura, his eyes scanning her, noticing her um… _Differences_. Naruto blushed at this.

Sakura also shifted her gaze, though she looked up at the stars.

"Hey Naruto…" she said remembering something.

Naruto looked at her again, this time though at her eyes, which seemed to carry a distant look. She turned her head to face him.

"Do you remember what it was like?"

"What what was like?" he asked, though even he wasn't that stupid, he knew what was coming next.

"Being a team… Being with Sasuke."

Naruto exhaled into the night and pondered on the thought

"To me it almost seems like it never happened, but at the same time it feels too real, you know?" he smiled at her "Why, do you?"

"I'm trying not to" she said looking to the floor.

Naruto didn't have time to reply as because of her sudden shift of gaze, and the blurriness of her vision from the tears that had begun to well up in her eyes – though she didn't let Naruto see that of course – she didn't notice a small section of uneven pavement. She stubled and braced herself to fall to the ground.

"Sakura!" Naruto called.

Instead of feeling the hard ground underneath her, she felt a strong hand around her waist. The air was knocked out of her and she went into a slight state of shock for about a second, before shakily rising to her feet.

"Thanks…" Sakura said, slightly breathless.

"No problem." Naruto replied steadying her. Thank God she hadn't notice that little bit of _unnecessary _contact between his hand and her breast when he had helped her up.

"You okay?" Naruto asked her a concerned look on his face.

"Ya, fine, I'm fine." She stood straight and the started walking again.

Naruto's arm burned where he had touched her and he tried to hide his nervousness.

_I can't be falling for her again…_

_

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Ya please tell me what you think!

I do have an idea of what will happen. It involves various love triangles and **ANGST.**

You can't have a story about teenagers without angst I mean come on what did you think I was?

XD But ya, R&R!

**P.S. You may have notice the sort of incompleteness of this chapter i.e. the length etc.**

**The next chapter will continue from this point so don't worry! (Sorta like a part numero dos?) I'm not one of those cheapos that only write really short, crappy fics (not to say all short fics bad there are really good ones out there. And don't get me wrong I REALLLLLY like those bad ones too… Not too many words and I usually understand them a lot better).**


	2. Chapter 2

**Has to be Chapter 2**

Naruto no longer felt the same around Sakura. He spent the next few weeks after that night avoiding her.

He told himself it was the best thing if he didn't want to get hurt again like he did three years ago. He had spent his time training trying to forget about the feelings he had for two of his best friends.

Sasuke wasn't easy to forget about. His best friend and ex-rival was like a brother to him, but when he left the village seeking power from Orochimaru it had hurt not only Naruto, but all of team seven quiet badly, Sakura in particular. I mean she loved him right? She'd even come to Naruto, on the verge of tears asking him to bring Sasuke back for her.

This also caused him some quite severe heart break.

Sakura was, coincidentally, his first crush, maybe even love. Oh who was he trying to kid; he'd loved her, and he'd spent his whole time with Jiraiya trying to forget about it. But now his worst fear had been realized.

_He was falling for her again._

_

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_

"Shizune? _Shizune!_" Tsunade's voice sounded angry and frustrated. When Shizune ran into the Hokage's office she noticed that Tsunade had big black rings under her eyes, she obviously hadn't slept.

"Yes Tsunade-sama?"

"Bring me my coffee, and make sure it's _really_ strong," Tsunade lent her forehead onto her hand and sighed, throwing the papers she'd been looking at onto her desk carelessly.

"And when you get the chance, will you tell Naruto and Sakura I need to see them in my office as soon as possible?"

"Yes ma'm!" Shizune left the room and waited until she got down the hallway to stop and sigh. She's only paused for about half a second when she heard an angry voice in the direction of Tsunade's office.

"Shizune! Coffee _now_!" Shizune's eyes widened and she quickly and nervously continued to the end of the hall.

* * *

Naruto lay on his bed with his legs up staring at the white ceiling. He exhaled heavily and smiled. It had been about a month since he'd come back to Konoha, and everything seemed to drift into normalness, just as though he'd never left. Well except for the whole Sakura issue. He frowned as images of his long time crush drifted into his head. He shook them out. This really wasn't a good time for that. He lay there for a few minutes trying to think of other things. He got up and went into the kitchen where he made himself a bowl of instant ramen which he sat down to finish on his bed, not bothering to be too hygienic about the matter. After he'd finished he lay back down again and drifted off into thought. He then heard a sharp tap at his bedroom widow and quickly sat up.

* * *

Sakura sat at her breakfast table and looked out the window. The morning sun seemed to be smiling at her. She wished she could smile back. She stared at her dry cereal, and let out a heavy sigh.

She took a moment to wonder why Naruto had been so distant since he'd come back. She missed him. She missed the way he'd smile and laugh when they were together. She missed the way that when she was sad or upset he was always her shoulder to cry on.

Ya he acted like an idiot… Most of the time, but he always made her smile.

She looked out her window again and squinted at the light. All that time staring down into her bowl had made her eyes sensitive.

Then she heard a knock at her door.

_Naruto?!_ she thought eagerly and perked up instantly.

* * *

Naruto had been in Tsunade's office twice since he'd come back. The first time was the first day when he'd seen Tsunade on the porch. Sakura had punched him into a wall on the door side of the room. If you were to go into the Hokage's office and look very carefully, you'd see a slight imprint where he'd made contact with the wall.

The second time was when he was requested for a mission where he was teamed up with Kiba and Hinata. Shino had been sent on a different mission to retrieve someone from Getsugakure, so Naruto had been sent as a replacement.

There hadn't been very many missions since he'd come back which he found very odd. He hadn't had time to show off his skills! Even on the mission with Hinata and Kiba all he'd had to do was catch a few fish and make some fires on this simple escort, C ranked mission.

Maybe this was it, why Tsunade had called him to her office so abruptly. Maybe she was going to send him as platoon leader on some secret mission. Or may he'd get to…

His thoughts were stopped short when he saw Sakura approach him. He was just walking down the street from where his house was. He gulped.

"Hey Sakura," he said obviously nervous about something because he was twiddling his fingers and looking at the ground. He looked just like Hinata.

Sakura smiled at him as they found themselves turning up the same street.

"Hey Naruto, where are you off to?" she asked still smiling at him, trying to keep the conversation from the deep dark place which was awkward silence. The longer she could keep the conversation going, the easier it would be for her to figure out why he'd been ignoring her.

Naruto tried to look up, but he was scared that if he looked straight at her then the past few weeks would have been for nothing, so instead he looked straight ahead.

"Er… the Hokage's… She wanted to um… speak to me about something." he was desperately trying to divert his gaze from her, but he couldn't keep this up forever.

"So am I!" she smiled, trying to sound upbeat. It didn't work for long however because when Naruto didn't reply her smiling expression fell.

"Look," she said in a serious voice "I know you've been trying to avoid me. What's up? Did I do something wrong?"

"It's not you Sakura," Naruto said after a short pause that, to Sakura, seemed to last ages.

Before Naruto had anytime to continue they had reached the Hokage's.

Naruto held the door for Sakura still staring at the floor. As she passed by him a wind blew the scent of her sweet, strawberry shampoo into his face.

He slipped a little bit further.

"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura knocked then pushed open the door to a sleeping Tsunade with papers scattered all around her desk.

"Tsunade-sama!" she yelled a little bit louder but with no luck, Tsunade continued to sleep without a sound.

"_Tsunade-baachan!_" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs which caused Tsunade to finally sit bolt up right, looking very confused.

Naruto smiled a triumphant smile as he spoke.

"You wanted to see us?"

"Oh, oh yea please," she beaconed them to come further into the room until they were half way between the door and her desk.

"Well…" she started to speak but then had to search her mind to remember what she had to talk to them about.

The memories of a sleepless night returned.

"Right! I have some very important news concerning the two of you," Tsunade spoke sternly, telling Sakura and Naruto that this was a very serious matter indeed.

"We have recently had some reports of various incidences in Otogakure."

Naruto clenched his teeth at the sound of Orochimaru's "personal village".

"And?" Sakura asked, very intrigued now. Was it news of Sasuke? Had he finally come to his senses and broken free of Orochimaru?

"Well we've had some people coming to us about some strange occurrences while passing through the village. People disappearing into thin air, people suddenly falling deathly ill," Tsunade sighed. "I just need you two to check it out. Go and come back that's all."

"So you're sending just the two of us? Does this have something to do with Sasuke?" when Tsunade nodded Naruto's eyes widened.

"I believe so, yes…" Naruto continued to stare at her, a sort of dumbfounded expression on his face. Since when did she send Naruto and Sakura alone on a mission to Otogakure? It didn't make any sense but what was he going to do, complain that he'd just been trusted with such a mission? That he might _finally_ get to show off his skills and proved that he was capable of maybe even leading missions like these? Of course not!

"You go and come back," Tsunade restated in a more serious tone of voice when she saw the look on Naruto's face "we're sending you two because everyone else is already on other missions. We just need someone to confirm that the Akatsuki are not tied up in this somehow."

Right the Akatsuki. Naruto had only run into them once before, but they obviously weren't to be taken lightly. Itachi he could already see was really strong, and then there was that shark faced man. Naruto didn't doubt for a second that he was very strong after what Kakashi-sensei had told them, and he didn't doubt that those two weren't the only insanely powerful ones in the bunch.

But how are they connected? Orochimaru and Sasuke was obvious, but now he had something to do with the Akatsuki as well?! God this guy just kept getting more and more annoying.

"Yes ma'm!" Sakura replied.

Tsunade gave them the go ahead and they returned to their houses to get their things. They'd agreed to meet at the north entrance to the village in half an hour.

* * *

A chill ran down Sakura's spine when she finally reached her front door. She'd been so anxious to get to the Hokage's that she didn't bother to bring a sweater, and now it was beginning to turn dark and a cold November breeze just swept through the small village.

Sakura put her key into the lock and turned it while trying to warm herself up using her free hand. When the door was open she couldn't get inside fast enough. She ran up to her room and quickly pulled on a sweater before starting to pack her things into the closest bag she could find. She'd been on so many missions before she had the packing thing down flat. This time though her hands shook. Was she nervous that this mission might lead them closer to Sasuke? Or was it just the cold?

When she went into the bathroom to get her tooth brush she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She leaned in close and brushed a stray hair behind her ear, and tried to make herself look at least half decent to her standards. When she stood up she felt a little bit like Ino who cared way too much about perfection when it came to how show looked. She shook her head and went back to packing.

She stood above her bed, her small bag on top of it, putting in all the things she might need. She crossed the room to get something out of one of her drawers and paused. The old picture of team seven carried a small layer of dust which she wiped off with her hand. She held the picture up to her face. Sakura stood there a moment remembering when this picture was taken. This was when they had passed Kakashi's test with the bells, and they were told they would have to take a team photo. Naruto and Sasuke weren't too thrilled with the idea and spent the whole time glaring at each other. Sakura smiled at the memory and she didn't notice the small tear running down her cheek.

* * *

It never took Naruto more then about two seconds to shove whatever stuff he hand lying around into an old, slightly torn up backpack, so he spent the rest of his time doing what he did best.

He made a quick bowl of his favourite instant ramen using his old microwave. He nearly burned himself when he took the Styrofoam cup out of the microwave and pulled back the lid. He quickly tore his hand away and knocked the ramen all over his counter and down to the floor. He tried to gather his composure, feeling very frustrated with himself as he bent down to clean up the mess.

It wasn't only his clumsiness that made him pound his fist on the floor angrily, it was his selfishness. How cold he be doing this to Sakura? Even though she'd made it clear to him that she wanted Sasuke back that didn't mean that he had to leave her on her own like that. His self-centredness made him almost resent himself. Just because he didn't want to feel that pain himself didn't mean he had to take it out on Sakura. She hadn't done anything wrong. Now especially she needed him. He decided to quickly run 'round to her house and apologize. He couldn't wait until they were suppose to meet so he grabbed his bag quickly and jumped down off his porch.

_Damn __it's cold_ he thought. _I should have brought a sweater._

_

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_

"Jiraiya I told you, I don't have time for this," Tsunade turned her back to her ex-team mate and waved her hand up as if to say _just leave me alone_.

"Just hear me out," Jiraiya tried to get her attention by walking towards her. His attempts succeed and Tsunade sat down at her desk, leaning her arm on the armrest of her chair and placing her second and middle fingers against her forehead.

"You have 30 seconds…" Jiraiya smiled.

"I just feel that you've been working yourself too hard,"

Tsunade sighed and diverted her eyes; her expression was one of annoyance.

"I just wanted to take you out for drinks or something, you need to loosen up," his smile still plastered on his face and as he leant onto the desk, eyes level with Tsunade's, it never faltered.

Tsunade sighed again, she _had_ been stressed lately, and her overwhelming need to exhale so strongly was proof enough of that.

"Alright," she said looking Jiraiya straight in the eyes "but just a few, I need to get back to work."

Who was she kidding, when Tsunade got started on the sake, it was _very _hard to get her to stop.

When Naruto reached Sakura's house he could see her bedroom light was on. The light shone through the windows very noticeably in the darkness that had come upon the village. Naruto jumped up to the ledge of the open window and looked inside.

"Sakura?" she turned to look at him, tears glittering in her eyes. She wiped them on the back of her hand, put the picture face down on her chest of drawers and walked towards the open window.

Naruto's face fell, s_he'd been crying_ was all that ran through his head and he felt _so_ guilty that he hadn't been there to comfort her.

As Sakura got closer to the window her pace sped up and tears begin to flow freely from her eyes and she began to run towards his arms.

Naruto held her to his chest as she began sobbing into him.

Naruto stood there very surprised. He held her there in the frame of the window not knowing what to do.

"It's okay… It's okay…" was all he could say as he tried to soothe her.

"We'll get him back I promise."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Yes I decided to do a second chapter. **Apologies for all the POV switching!! I was trying to get all the thoughts of many different characters, and everything that was happening to them.** And I was trying so hard not to bore you with loads of description and what not. Also hopefully this chapter make up for the last one which was too short for what it was.

Anyways: I'm going away for two weeks but I'm going to try really hard to get some more done. XD I think this might become a regular thing. But I do however start up school again in september and I'm just starting my big exams years. Ohh great!

Please review and what not and I hope to see you for another chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

They stood for what seemed like, to Naruto, a _very _long time. He knew he should stop this, his mind was telling him to, but his heart wanted nothing more than to stay there in the cold essence of the window holding the one that had stolen his heart once before. He opened his eyes and let go of Sakura, who looked at him, glimmering tears sparkling in her eyes. Naruto hated seeing the ones he loved in pain, so for a moment he himself had to fight back tears. He wasn't about to let his guard down. The great Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage, never let himself get too emotional... at least not in public.

_Is this all _my _fault?_ Naruto had to ask himself. For a moment he resented himself for acting the way he had. He hadn't grown up at all. That past week all he'd done was make things worse by avoiding a situation. Unfortunately for him the outcome of this was inevitable. He had a strong sense of guilt building up in the pit of his stomach. He brought his hand up to his bottom lip and diverted his gaze, trying to come up with a suitable apology, but he couldn't find the words no matter how hard he tried.

_What's he thinking?_ Sakura wiped the left over tears with the back of her hand. Her world disappeared around her and her head felt heavy. Naruto's mouth was opening and closing like he wanted to say something, so she waited a few moments. A sudden flash of realization came on in her mind.

_Sasuke!_ She checked her watch; they should have left 10 minutes ago. She sniffed.

"Uh... We should... We should..."

"Yea yea you're right..." Naruto turned to pick up Sakura's bags from her bed but she already had them swung over her shoulder. She smiled her eyes still slightly red. She looked Behind Naruto who was still standing in front of her waiting for him to move. He snapped out of it and jumped to the window.

If there was one thing Sasuke had learned in his time with Orochimaru it was indifference. He had learnt to become distant from everyone and everything, this is how he'd managed to let go of his past so easily. His 'friends' his 'peers', the people he'd used to see and smile at meant nothing to him anymore, and he'd learnt to believe that they never had meant anything to him, that's how he was going to live his life, and how he was going to finally take his revenge and kill his brother, if nothing got to him first that is. He'd make sure nothing got to him first. He'd kill them before they did. Itachi was his to kill and his alone; he didn't need anyone, not even Orochimaru. The only use he had to him was to give him the power he needed and even if he wouldn't he'd find some other way to get it.

He slashed angrily at many of Orochimaru's _guinea pigs_ that he was told to use as _training material_. It was all too simple for Sasuke however, their sloppy, very desperate movements were all too predictable to Sasuke's Sharingan. It didn't take him 30 seconds to wipe out the lot.

_Too easy_, he thought to himself as he returned his long sword to its casing on his back. He looked over the mounds of dead bodies and frowned, _it still wasn't enough._

Sakura sat up gazing at the fire and shifting some of the logs with a stick. She threw the stick into the flames which licked at the bark and quickly consumed it. The fire blazed and resembled people dancing with the starry sky above them. Sakura sat mesmerized in the clearing they'd stopped at to make camp, the trees surrounded her and the forest floor was hard underneath her. She didn't notice it thought. She just sat staring into the flames letting her imagination take her.

There she was in a large room with marble floors and high ceilings, flowers where positioned on round tables with silk cloths in glass vases aroun. She looked down and noticed she was wearing a long light pink ball gown, and admired herself in one of the ceiling high windows. A long table stretched out in front of her draped in a white cloth and covered in all sorts of foods. They even had some pretty decent looking ramen at one end. She smiled to herself. She stood there for a moment just taking in her surroundings. Music was playing and people where dancing in the middle of the room. They were all so beautiful. She took a few steps over to the end of the table and brushed the silk cloth which felt smooth and warm underneath her white glove.

"Miss Haruno?" Sakura turned at the sound of her name and saw a quite dashing Naruto behind her. His face was scarlet against his white shirt and tie. He wore a classic black suit and it fitted him stunningly.

"May I... Have the next dance?" He asked, turning an even deeper scarlet.

Sakura couldn't help but smile and before she knew is she'd nodded.

Naruto took her hand and an area cleared in the center of the room. Naruto took her by the waist and diverted his gaze, blushing all over again. Sakura put her hand on his shoulder and she was pulled in close. She was slightly surprised but for some reason didn't mind. They began to dance around to floor and found herself pulling in loser, wanting to be closer. Why? She didn't know, she didn't care.

"Sakura?"

"Hmm... Yes?"

"Sakura!"

_Wait a second..._

"Hey Sakura come on!"

She sat up confused.

_I fell... Asleep..._

"Naruto!" she stood up quickly.

"We have to leave now if you want to keep time... Hey Sakura? Why is your face all red?"

She touched her face, it _was_ flushed.

"Oh... Nothing, we should go," Sakura gathered her bags, still thinking back to her dream.

_What was that about?_ She thought almost disappointed in herself.

It would take about two days to reach the sound village now that they knew where it was.

They started off through the woods. They talked quite a bit about Sasuke, and what they'd do when they finally got him back. Naruto really did make Sakura feel better about losing Sasuke, as he went out of his way to make her laugh. But she still couldn't shake that dream she had. No matter how much she told herself that it was just the anxiety she felt over everything; something inside her otherwise.

"One more 'round over here!" Jiraiya yelled aross the room at the bar tender.

"Coming right up!"

Tsunade groaned. This was her 4th 'round that night, and she was beginning to feel the effects, good thing it was only light sake. Even though they weren't large glasses, she didn't think she could handle much more, or she might find herself doing stuff she'd regret in the morning. This kind of scared her as her usual self would be all up for this. She sat there realizing that she was thinking so much about her job as Hokage that she wasn't even enjoying her favourite pastime; getting hammered.

She closed her eyes and sat up straight in her chair, placing both hands in front of her on the wooden bar. She exhaled as another glass of sake was placed in front of her. She opened her eyes and picked up the glass. She downed the whole things in one big gulp. Jiraiya stared at her wide-eyed.

"Okay!" he said and downed his too.

_This is more like it._

Two hours, and countless glasses later; Jiraiya finally was able to pull Tsunade out of the bar.

"Woah! Easy, easy!" Jiraiya just managed to stop Tsunade from falling into the street. He hoisted her up onto his back and started back towards her house.

Tsunade's speech was so slurred that Jiraiya, especially in his current state, couldn't understand a word she was saying.

It was kind of cute.

"Hey! Hey, put me down you - you pervert!" Tsunade began kicking and pounding at Jiraiya's back with such force he completely lost his balance and tumbled off the main sidewalk into a bush.

"Ouch..." he looked up and his eyes widened. Tsunade's face was only inches from his.

"I – er..." Jiraiya was interrupted.

"Fish?" Naruto offered Sakura a smoked salmon that they'd caught in a stream not too far away from where they'd decided to make camp for the night. They'd covered a decent amount of ground that morning and about an hour ago decided it was time to stop for lunch.

"No thanks, you can have it,"

"Don't mind if I do!" Naruto took a massive bite out of the salmon; his goofy expression caused Sakura to smile to herself.

Naruto looked up at her but found himself staring.

"Naruto?"

Naruto sat bolt upright when he realized the fish was actually burning the roof of his mouth off.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, Sakura laughed.

This wasn't helping at all; Naruto scrunched his face and sucked on his bottom lip in annoyance. Not only was he finding it harder to stop himself from going completely insane over the fact that he couldn't seem to get over this girl, but now he had a burn on the top of his mouth to remind him of it. He sighed to himself and took another bite out of his fish.

_Snap_.

Naruto's ears prickled. He looked up and growled.

"Naruto what-" Naruto held a finger to his lips and pulled a kunai steadily out of his right pouch.

"Get back,"

"But I-"

Before she could finish a flash of silver glimmered before her eyes.

Naruto pounced and dived to shield Sakura from the shuriken that had missed her by only a few millimetres, scratching Naruto across the arm instead. Her eyes widened and she looked up in the direction of the attack.

Another shuriken was thrown from the other side and Naruto quickly pushed Sakura out of the way as a ninja star wedged itself in the tree right behind where she had been.

"Show yourself!" he yelled in the direction of the trees where the shuriken had come from. He threw a kunai and heard some laughter coming from behind him. He turned to see nothing.

"Sakura get over there," he stepped out into the center of the clearing. Sakura crawled on all fours to the side where the shuriken had hit the tree and hid.

"Come out now!"

"Well all right if you insist,"

A tall figure stepped out of the trees in front of him. Naruto went into a battle stance and readied himself.

"Who are you?" the man laughed again.

"As if I'd tell you," then he was gone.

Naruto looked around. He tried to analyse the situation but before he knew it he felt a strong blow to the back. He coughed up blood and his knees buckled underneath him and he landed face down on the floor.

"Naruto, look out!" Naruto automatically looked up just in time to see the man come down on top of him, kicking him right in the face. Naruto heard a crack and blood began to pour down from his nose. He shakily tried to stand up but failed and knelt on one knee. He was finally able to stand and keep his balance.

"Who... are you...?"

"Didn't I already say I wouldn't waste my breath on a fool like you?"

Another punch, this time to the stomach, sent Naruto crippling to the floor. He tried again desperately to pull himself up.

"You work for that bastard Orochimaru don't you?" he spat when he said his name. He wiped the blood from his face.

The man grinned. Naruto looked up and studied him. He was wearing something that resembled a black gi with a thick piece of purple rope around his waist. His hair was a strange shade of white, so white that in some lights it glimmered slightly blue, and it was spiked up at the back. His skin was tanned, and his eyes where a hypnotising silver.

"Good, you're sharper then you look," the man grinned again displaying a set of inhumanly pointy teeth.

"And what's that suppose to mean," Naruto looked at him, his irises red and his pupils thinning.

"Just saying that such analysis skills should be... _rewarded _I guess," he took one step forward.

"I am indeed a follower of Orochimaru-sama's, the name's Seishen, it's a pleasure to meet you _Usumaki Naruto._"

**Sorry it took me so long to get this up XD School's started again so I've been super busy but it's here! Better late than never right? Right? No? Okay...**

**Anyways review or.....I'll hang Michael Jackson's kid over the balcony! Or has that already been done before?**


	4. Chapter 4

Once again Naruto didn't have time to be surprised as at that moment he was picked up off the forest flood and held in the air by his collar.

"Lights out," Seishin hit him hard on the back of the head, knocking out Naruto almost instantly.

For the first time in a long time Sakura felt helpless. This guy's moves were unpredictable even to her trained senses. He'd even been able to take out Naruto with no more than a few hits to the face, this was so out of character for him; he hadn't even fought back! She thought he'd been training all this time.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled at him from where she now stood just a few feet away from the clearing, a slight hint of anger in her voice.

Seishin dropped him Naruto's limp body to the floor and tapped his face with his foot, leaving a muddy footprint on his face.

"Don't you dare touch him!* I don't know who you are, or what you can do... But he won't be down long; when he gets up you're finished!" she said through bared teeth almost spitting at him as she spoke.

"Shut up you little bitch, I know more about this boy then you ever have!" Sakura stared at him in shock.

_How could he have...? Naruto didn't seem to know this guy at all so how did he...?_ Sakura's thoughts were staggered.

Seishin was getting pretty annoyed with this girl. He hadn't even been here five minutes and she was already getting on his nerves. Well she'd be dead soon enough anyways, so he might as well toy with her. He sighed and began stepping towards her watching her back away slowly with her fist clenched and gaze steady.

Sakura charged straight at him and threw a punch that hit him in the face. Or... Wait a second... Did it?

She looked in front of her where empty space was staring mockingly.

_I'm sure I'd hit him. Where'd he –_

"Right here," Sakura's thoughts were interrupted by a sinister voice from behind her. Her eyes widened when she realized what had happened. She swung 'round throwing another punch in his direction, but Seishin had already jumped out of the way before she'd even turned.

"You really are a fool," Seishin was getting bored of this girl already.

_Almost time to end this._

_Fox? Fox? _His thoughts echoed through the walls of the chamber that sealed the Nine Tailed Fox inside of him.

He'd been here many times before but not lately as the majority of his time training was practicing using his own human strength rather than that of a demon.

"What is it kid?"

"I need you to lend me your power," the giant fox grinned.

"Very well," Naruto could feel the chakra in his body being taken over by that of the fox's.

Seishin took a few steps towards Sakura who had a defiant look on her face.

"I think I've figured it out,"

"Oh? Enlighten me," Seishin was smiling to himself again.

"But you don't need me to do you," she asked rhetorically.

"The way you fight, by interpreting the moves of your opponent and then acting before they do, that is similar to that of the Sharingan, but you don't have the mirror eye,"

"Correct, you're smarter than your friend,"

Sakura couldn't help herself, she grinned slightly at this.

"You read minds don't you, "

"Very clever, but you have not yet discovered the restraint on my powers,"

"But you already knew that," Sakura grinned, lowering her eye contact.

Seishin grunted and took a kunai from his pouch and twirled it on his finger.

Sakura braced herself to run but Seishin took her shoulder with one of his strong hands before her mind had completely processed the thought.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt... For long," he raised his arm.

"Don't you dare," Naruto stood up, a red chakra engulfing him.

Seishin's head turned in disbelief. Sakura noticed this and smiled slyly.

"So that's it..." she said keeping her head down. She fully recognized Naruto's new form as the form of his demon cloak.

"You little... I'll kill you both!" he turned around just quick enough to see Naruto pounce at him. Even in his first stage of the transformation he wasn't quite quick enough for Seishin, who jumped up out of the way, landing on a branch just above. This gave Naruto the advantage as he tore up the trunk, causing it to topple over into the clearing. The psychic was still too quick as he jumped straight to the ground, assuming his battle stance. Naruto landed on the floor and Seishin began to charge. Naruto prepared himself to fight him head on but was taken by surprise when the ninja circled around to the left.

_Sakura!_ He turned around to see Seishin had Sakura in a tight head-lock with a kunai to her throat.

"Let her go!" he snarled, a second tail forming.

"No can do. I'm going to kill you both right here, right now, so don't you take another step or you're sending her to an early grave," Sakura's eyes glistened. She couldn't believe this. She was a chunin shinobi of Konaha yet she was getting beat so easily. They had let their guard down and let him get to them and now they were stuck.

Seishin took a step backwards.

"Better hurry up and tell her," he took another step "you haven't got long," he dug his kunai slightly into Sakura's throat causing a drop of blood to drip down her neck.

Naruto's angry, snarling expression turned to that of mockery.

"You can't tell what I'm thinking can you?" Seishin's expression became nervous and hinted and madness.

"Only the minds of humans," Naruto looked him in the eye "you're finished now,"

Sakura felt Seishin's grip tighten on her once again.

"Gotcha..." Seishin swerved to face one of Naruto's shadow clones just before he was hit in the chest with Naruto's Rasengan.

Seishin yelled out in pain as he collapsed to the floor, letting go of Sakura who quickly got up out of the way. Once Naruto's shadow clone released the jutsu, Seishin was bleeding all over the ground. The real Naruto let his expression fall as he restrained the fox, returning to normal, something he'd trained himself to do while with Jiraiya which he could perform for up to the third stage of his demon form. He was breathless from the strain he'd put on his body.

"I... see..." Seishin breathed heavily.

"Not anymore," Naruto took out a kunai and stabbed it into Seishin's chest.

"Let's get away from here," Naruto said as he stepped over the fallen trunk. Sakura who was still in shock from the experience only nodded as she herself joined Naruto on the other side.

They walked for about five minutes when they found a second clearing in the forest. As soon as Sakura's body lay on the floor she was out like a light.

When Sakura finally woke up Naruto was still awake poking at the fire in the same manner she had just the night before. It was dark and the moon was high in the sky.

"How long was I asleep?" Naruto shrugged.

"A few hours," he smiled, his face bruised and scratched from where Seishin had kicked him.

"Here, let me take a look at those," Sakura tried to stand up but wobbled over, still slightly asleep. She tried to get up again and managed to stumble 'round to the other side of the fire where Naruto was sitting.

She felt his bruises with the tips of her fingers. Naruto winced slightly as she began heeling his larger wounds.

"Fast heeling as usual," she smiled. Naruto smiled back however his mind was pretty occupied with memories of the fight to pay much attention to his surroundings at the moment; Seishin's words were playing over and over again in his mind.

"_You'd better tell her now!"_ maybe he was right. If Naruto hadn't been able to sneakily make a shadow clone when Seishin had jumped up into the trees neither of them would probably be alive, or worse... He didn't like that last thought, it sent cold shivers down his spine just to even think about life without...

"Hey Sakura..."

"Hm?" she was still attending to many of his smaller cuts.

"Back in the other clearing when we were fighting that psychic freak... And he... when he..."

"Held a knife to my throat," Sakura finished for him.

"Yea that..." Naruto tried to shake out the memory "There's something I have to tell you Sakura, something important," Naruto looked at the ground and Sakura took her hands away from him; confusion mixed with concern painted her face.

Naruto's heart pounded in his chest, he felt hot and anxious.

_Now or never_ he repeated over in his mind

_It's now or never..._

"Sakura I..." he looked her directly in these eyes, careful not to break contact. He fell into a feeling he knew he should have been trying to suppress.

"Sakura... _I love you_."

**Cliff-hanger! K don't laugh at me XD. This was a fairly short chapter but next time I'm going to try and get some more on the other characters so don't you worry!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Woah... Long time no see or what? o.O**

**Please excuse the EPIC *year long* neglecting of this story! But I will make up for it! Hopefully.**

**Hectic life T-T Bleeehhh.**

**ANYWAY! Chapter five! After over a year! Enjoy! (exclamation abuse)**

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* * *

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Words could not describe the bizarre emotion that swept over her as Sakura heard Naruto say those words. At the same time as feeling incredibly bewildered and disbelieving, deep down she had this strange sense of almost... Was it expecting?

That's definitely how Naruto felt. Expecting. He closed his blue eyes so tight the corners wrinkle.

"Naruto I..." for once Sakura had no words.

"It's okay." Naruto said after a long pause and an internal sigh "you don't have to say anything, I just..." he looked away "I just had to say it,"

He stood and unrolled his maroon sleeping bag, already positioned, welcoming, next to the too silent fire. He didn't bother to get into it, he just lay on top of it, frustrated with his own stupidity.

Sakura just sat there staring. A peaceful emptiness seemed to occupy her at that moment, her face serene and her eyes reflecting the dancing of flames.

That's when she remembered her dream.

Or was it just a dream? She only let her mind brush on the thought as she looked naively at the forest floor as if she was expecting to find an answer buried there.

Was her subconscious trying to tell her something?

Her head jerked upwards, once again reflecting the crackling fire in her glazed, absent eyes.

She finally got up the courage to look over at where Naruto was asleep, her heart skipped a small, but apparent beat in the process.

She noticed her self blushing and almost felt ashamed of herself.

Right then everything else around her seemed so much less important, and the muted sounds around her had an odd calming effect as they glowed the same as the warm fire.

Maybe... Just maybe...

Sakura had the strangest urge to laugh to herself and roll her eyes. She managed to suppress this as she didn't think making a joke out of the situation would help in the slightest. It was an appealing thought though.

She stood up slowly.

One leg first, hand on her knee. Pink locks fell around her face.

One foot in front of the other, snapping some sticks which lay awkwardly on the ground.

She was now close enough to feel the heat of the fire, this didn't phase her and she knelt beside Naruto, whose back was to her.

Unconsciously sensing her presence he turned a little in his sleep, the sheets he lay on ruffled under him slightly as she shifted herself so that her knees were now just inches from his shoulder.

She brushed a section of gold which had fallen over his face, his usually messy hair unusually messy. It was kind of cute.

Raising her self so that she loomed over him, pink hair falling in front of her once again she brushed it behind her ear, cursing how awkward this position was for her. He just never made it easy did he.

As she brought her face closer to his she was aware that it was just her body acting for her, her mind wasn't in this at all, and as their faces became only inches a part she finally let herself smile.

_What have I gotten myself into now?_

She slowly pressed her lips to his, not wanting him to suddenly jerk awake she allowed herself to connect with him slowly, before she felt him begin to respond to her.

His body slowly turned over, making Sakura start to sit up which Naruto followed carefully. He put his hands either side of her before they were both in a much more comfortable sitting position when he took her face delicately in his hands. Sakura responded by bringing her hands around him, pulling him to her. They slowly became more entangled with each other, they began to feel themselves move together.

"Sakura..." he whispered between breathes.

"I'm here," he still thought he was dreaming "Naruto... Open your eyes," he felt her pull away, but only slightly. Their bodies still together by touch, their hands entangled, but their lips no longer connected.

Something within him didn't want to face the reality, still convinced it was nothing but happiness created by pure fantasy, that nothing of what he was feeling was real. Despite this he obeyed the words and his eyes slowly rippled open.

Their eyes met, and for the first time both of them realized what was happening.

Within moments their lips reconnected, crashing like waves both were able to release all of the still unspoken feelings which had lingered between them for so long.

Their hands unclasped. Naruto brought his hand to her back, sending shivers up Sakura's spine he pulled her into his arms. Sakura accepted this invitation willingly and brought her hands around his neck and coiled into his blond hair.

Sakura felt something surprising. She never expected that the one place she'd feel the most safe was in the arms of the boy she always claimed to dislike.

* * *

Tsunade woke up that morning with her head pounding against the too comfortable pillow. Her memory hazed as she tried to sit up, only causing her more pain. Her head felt heavy and she had the biggest urge to punch something. Hard.

"You're awake now slee-py-head!"

Jaraiya sat in his usual chair on the exact opposite side of the room, obviously intuitive enough to know exactly what Tsunade was thinking.

Tsunade looked over at him through slit eyelids and he gave her a small enthusiastic wave.

She casually brought out the most cliché line, but the only one at that moment which occurred to her.

"What happened last night?" oh dear, she'd done it.

"You just, er- drank a _tiny_ bit too much 'at's all, considering your track record I decided to be gentleman and bring you home," he bowed slightly in his chair and smiled, a very awkward smile. Even hungover, Tsunade knew there was something he wasn't quite telling her. She brought her face back down to the pillow, nearly suffocating herself in the process so she sat up lazily, her head so heavy she couldn't keep it up straight.

She wiped sleep out of her eyes and noticed her arms, which were covered in lots of microscopic scratches. Curious, she swung out her legs, revealing themselves in the same state as her arms.

"How did...?"

"You er... Fell into a bush..." Jaraiya's face blushed slightly and he looked away from her, not wanting to catch her narrowing gaze. He twiddle his fingers comically in front of him.

This triggered something in Tsunade's memory, her eyes grew to nearly twice their sizes.

_Damn she's cute when does that_.

"When we...Did we...?" Tsunade felt herself trailing off once again and Jaraiya nodded slowly.

Tsunade fell back onto her pillow and groaned.

"I'm going back to sleep,"

Jaraiya knew he probably should have taken this rare window of opportunity to leave before Tsunade woke up and had the energy to beat him within an inch of his life, but Jaraiya was never the type to be rational. He walked slowly over to where Tsunade was now, once again, collapsed on top of her bed.

"Now don't get me wrong; you're a good kisser. Although a bit of chapstick wouldn't hurt," Tsunade threw a pillow at him, the only 'weapon' she had at her disposable.

"Don't forget you still have to work, with or without a hangover!" Jaraiya chimed to Tsunade's extreme annoyance. She groaned once more and Jaraiya finally had the sense to leave the room. In the doorway he heard some movement behind him.

"Get me a coffee,"

* * *

"How troublesome," Shikamaru let out his all too familiar, overused phrase as he sank down into his chair.

However, no shinobi in the whole of Konaha wouldn't be extremely annoyed at this point, after a two week return journey to the Sunagakure, only to find out that his supposed 'A rank mission' had been a complete waste of time, he comes back only to receive another mission for which he was suppose to depart on the following morning. Coming back from such a dud of a mission for Shikamaru meant that it was time for some well deserved R and R. Honestly; you'd think that the other villages could take care of themselves once in awhile.

Not only that but now Tsunade was insisting that Shikamaru took the position as platoon leader in order to be of service to Naruto and Sakura on _their_ mission.

He took a minute to contemplate why exactly he'd become a shinobi in the first place. Oddly enough he couldn't come to a definite answer.

Now that he really thought about it; everything was just so... Troublesome.

* * *

Orochimaru gave a crooked smile.

"So they defeated him did they? Can't say I'm surprised, Seishin was never..." he smirked again "he was never fit to become my next vessel anyway,"

"Can we just start,"

Orochimaru stood.

Ignoring the boy who had just spoken he turned to his messenger.

"Thank you Kabuto. Make sure to tell him I give him the bessst of luck," he hissed wickedly.

"Orochimaru, my training,"

"Just a minute Sasuke, just making sure our visitors get the warm welcome they deserve,"

Sasuke stood, drawing his sword, the sound rung off the walls of the cold, stone room.

"Why don't you just send me. As the welcome committee," he began admiring the way the blade shone in the dully lit room, the way his face reflected in the luminescent steel.

"Because you're the grand finale Sasssuke," Orochimaru hissed at him.

Sasuke smirked into his own reflection.

"And knowing Naruto, he wouldn't have it any other way,"


End file.
